Openly gay Christine Forster, a Liberal councillor spoke at an Australian Marriage Equality forum on Wednesday to say that although Abbott remains “comfortably opposed” to equal marriage, he understands the importance of the issue across the world. “He’s increasingly aware of how important this issue is to members of his family, to me – his sister, to his daughters, and to the rest of the world,” she said. Continuing, however, she said she was unsure on whether he would ever change his view. “His view, for whatever reason he holds it, is his view and he’s entitled to his view… But he hears me, he hears us.”

Is he coming around enough to maybe allow a conscience vote on the issue?